Claiming Universal Credit Alongside Existing New Style ESA 16 September 2022 at 1:58PM in Benefits & tax credits 6 replies 133 views

AnonyMoose

Hey all,

My wife currently claims new style ESA, and is in the support group for this.

I've done a benefit calculator, and it turns out my wage is low enough for us to be entitled to some help, only around £170pm but every little helps!

When I click on how they've worked out the calculation, it says it includes the "Disability" element - Presumably this is "LCWRA"?

My questions, therefore, are:

1. Would my wife have to have yet another Work Capability Assessment, despite being in New Style ESA Support Group? I've heard because she's in the support group, she is automatically entitled to LCWRA?
2. Would the job centre badger me to get a better job? (Never claimed UC before so unsure how this works)
3. Would the job centre badger my wife to get a job?
4. How long is the reassessment period for LCWRA?

If it's any help, my wife is claiming nsESA for severe depression, autism and dyspraxia - And plans to give PIP a go, too.

Thanks all!

Alice_Holt

Any UC entitlement will be reduced by the nsESA payments (which will continue).  Have you taken this into account in your £170 figure ?
I.e Is this the UC amount after deduction of the nsESA ?

1) She should transition to LCWRA, but this is not done automatically. You may need to prompt ESA / UC 
2) Depends on your monthly earnings
3) No
4) Similar to the Support Group under ESA.

Do you rent ?
Are you receiving HB ?
If so have you included this in your calculations?

AnonyMoose

Alice_Holt said:

Any UC entitlement will be reduced by the nsESA payments (which will continue).  Have you taken this into account in your £170 figure ?
I.e Is this the UC amount after deduction of the nsESA ?

1) She should transition to LCWRA, but this is not done automatically. You may need to prompt ESA / UC 
2) Depends on your monthly earnings
3) No
4) Similar to the Support Group under ESA.

Do you rent ?
Are you receiving HB ?
If so have you included this in your calculations?

Their calculation appears to have deducted the ESA as "Unearned Income" - So yes I believe the UC amount is after the deduction of nsESA.

1) Will she therefore still keep receiving her ESA every 2 weeks as per, and the remaining UC monthly?
2) Roughly £2120 before tax.

EDIT:

Also yes, we rent, £725
We aren't receiving any other benefit, just nsESA

Alice_Holt

1)   Yes.    Note that you as a couple will receive UC.

2)  With those monthly earnings, I suspect not  as you will certainly be in the 'Light touch regime', and likely above the  Conditionality Earnings Threshold (CET), You could google these for more info, i.e: 

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/numbers-moved-to-universal-credits-intensive-work-search-regime-because-of-the-increase-in-the-administrative-earnings-threshold/numbers-moved-to-universal-credits-intensive-work-search-regime-because-of-the-increase-in-the-administrative-earnings-threshold

https://data.parliament.uk/DepositedPapers/Files/DEP2021-0349/2_Administrative_and_Conditionality_Earnings_Thresholds_v6_0.pdf

So, your UC entitlement includes an element for housing costs (which you are not receiving through HB currently) ?


Note that a move to UC may speed up the timing of your wife's next WCA assessment.  

It's always worth trying a few benefit calculators, to check you get the same answer.

Help to claim may be worth contacting:
https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/about-us/contact-us/contact-us/help-to-claim/

AnonyMoose

Alice_Holt said:

1)   Yes.

2)  With those monthly earnings, I suspect not  as you will certainly be in the 'Light touch regime', and likely above the  Conditionality Earnings Threshold (CET), You could google these for more info, i.e: 

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/numbers-moved-to-universal-credits-intensive-work-search-regime-because-of-the-increase-in-the-administrative-earnings-threshold/numbers-moved-to-universal-credits-intensive-work-search-regime-because-of-the-increase-in-the-administrative-earnings-threshold

https://data.parliament.uk/DepositedPapers/Files/DEP2021-0349/2_Administrative_and_Conditionality_Earnings_Thresholds_v6_0.pdf

So, your UC entitlement includes an element for housing costs (which you are not receiving through HB currently) ?


Note that a move to UC may speed up the timing of your wife's next WCA assessment.  

It's always worth trying a few benefit calculators, to check you get the same answer.

Help to claim may be worth contacting:
https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/about-us/contact-us/contact-us/help-to-claim/

This is correct yes, It seems to include the regular couple element, housing element, and disability element.

I've given the EntitledTo and Turn2Us calculators a go, they both have us as gaining around 170-180 from the move if we decided to do it.

Given that it may speed up the timing of the next WCA appointment, I'm considering putting this on hold until the next ESA50 comes through, then rushing through a UC application whilst the ESA50 is being returned, would that be a decent idea? The wife was horrified with her last one, quite honestly, so I'd rather her not have to go through it more than needed.

We do intend to try PIP, though, which I assume is separate and won't trigger a WCA.

Alice_Holt

No PIP is separate, and likely worth an application.   See if you can get advice from your local advice charity:
https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/benefits/sick-or-disabled-people-and-carers/pip/help-with-your-claim/fill-in-form-pip/


"Given that it may speed up the timing of the next WCA appointment, I'm considering putting this on hold until the next ESA50 comes through, then rushing through a UC application whilst the ESA50 is being returned, would that be a decent idea?"

Probably not (IMO) - more likelihood of glitches in the process. What would happen if she was no longer placed in the Support Group of ESA during the transition to UC ?     

KxMx

WCA's currently have a huge backlog, they were basically on hold for existing claims (as of a few months ago) for a substantial amount of time, they were focusing on new claims only and even people with existing awards who need more support & are asking for a review are struggling to get one.

I haven't heard that they have resumed re assessments in any significant capacity. 

It could possibly be a very, very long time until your wifes next WCA,  why miss out on the extra financial support UC offers?